Ducks prospects hurt at Michigan

University of Michigan defenseman Steve Kampfer, a fourth-round selection by the Ducks in the 2007 NHL entry draft, suffered injuries when attacked by a Wolverines football player, the Michigan Daily reported.

The Ducks also learned Tuesday that Michigan defenseman Mark Mitera, their first-round pick in 2006, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during hockey action last weekend.

Following is the Michigan Daily's story on Kampfer:

Sources: Kampfer was hospitalized after attack by football player

The Michigan Daily

Police have a suspect; sources say running back Mike Milano attacked hockey player

LSA junior Steve Kampfer, a defenseman on the Michigan hockey team who was injured early Sunday morning in an off-ice incident, incurred his injuries when he was thrown headfirst into the sidewalk by a Michigan football player, sources say.

An eyewitness account and several sources place Kampfer at an assault that took place near the intersection of Church Street and Willard Street at about 2:25 a.m. Sunday.

University Police described the victim as a 20-year-old male University student from Jackson, which fits Kampfer's description on the Athletic Department's website. An LSA senior who witnessed the assault and described it in an interview with the Daily confirmed from photographs that Kampfer was the victim. He asked to remain anonymous for his protection.

Lieutenant Robert Neumann said the victim was picked up and "body-slammed" to the ground by a man, who was accompanied by two other men. Neumann said police have a suspect, whom he described as a 22-year-old male University student from Ohio.

Because the assault is still under investigation and police have not yet arrested a suspect, police would not release the names of the victim and suspects.

Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation said the attacker is suspected to be LSA senior Mike Milano, a redshirt junior on the Michigan football team. Milano, 22, is listed as a 5-foot-7, 196-pound running back from Rocky River, Ohio on the Athletic Department's website. A former wrestler who wrestled for Michigan his first two years on campus, Milano walked onto the football team in spring 2007.

According to the witness, Kampfer and an unidentified friend were walking southward on Church Street when three unknown males caught up to them just past the intersection with Willard Street.

The man walking with Kampfer turned around as the group approached and said something the witness could not hear. The witness said the man walking with Kampfer appeared to be urging the three men to "relax."

The witness said two of the men walked past Kampfer and his friend, shoving them aside, and then the third picked up Kampfer from behind and slammed him headfirst into the sidewalk. Kampfer's friend yelled at the group, but the men continued walking south on Church Street, the witness said.

He said Kampfer wasn't moving and appeared to be unconscious after the attack.

The witness described the attacker as a short, athletically built blonde male. He said the attacker was accompanied by two other men with athletic builds and blonde hair. All three were wearing jeans and black shirts that read "Get Wet" in red or orange on the back, according to the eyewitness.

Several sources said they didn't know what led to the altercation.

Police found Kampfer on the ground outside East Quad after responding to a call from an emergency phone, Neumann said. A fire truck was already on the scene when police arrived.

Police wouldn't describe the injuries sustained. Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson said Kampfer will be out of the team's lineup for "a while" and is currently missing class to recover from the injuries.

Berenson said Kampfer, a fourth-round NHL draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks, would not be suspended after returning to the team.

"I can't tell you that he did anything bad," Berenson said. "He just was a victim."

The Athletic Department has not yet released a statement on the incident.

Milano did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment sent this afternoon.

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